Lituus
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The word lituus originally meant a curved augural staff, or a curved war-trumpet in the ancient Latin language. This Latin word continued in use through the 18th century as an alternative to the verna
A lituus (reverse, right, over the patera) as cult instrument, in this coin celebrating the pietas of the Roman Emperor Herennius Etruscus.
A lituus is shown on the reverse and to the right on this ancient coin.
Wand
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A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal, bone or stone. Long versions of wands are ofte
Lituus
…Latin word continued in use through the 18th century as an alternative to the vernacular names of various musical instruments. The lituus was a crooked wand (similar in shape to the top part of some Western European crosiers) used as a cult instrument in ancient Roman religion by augurs to mark out a ritual…
The Magic Circle, by John William Waterhouse (1886), portrays a woman using a wand to create a ritual space.
Ancient Egyptian apotropaic wand carved from a hippopotamus tusk
Circe with her magical wand, in Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses, an 1891 painting by John William Waterhouse
Sarcophagus relief: Daniel in the Lions Den and the Raising of Lazarus